How many WIPs?

Every so often the same topic is brought up among knitters - how many WIPs do you have? For those who are not knitters a WIP is a Work In Progress.

There are those who plan a project - start a project - knit a project and yes - finish a project. They are rare. Most knitters have multiple projects going. Some knitters have "billions" of projects going. I like have a variety available. A simple project that can handle having a conversation while knitting; a complex one to challenge my skills; something I'm currently designing; a long term project, etc.

At my last knitting night I was working on an afghan I started a year or two ago and one of the ladies joked about me starting projects all the time and I shocked her with the fact that I don't have that many projects going right now. Turns out the past couple months I've gotten into finishing projects. I decided to do a reality check on how many projects I really have going right now.

1. Lace project - I'm about 80% done with a Pi Shawl. The Camping shawl designed in honor of Elizabeth Zimmermann's 100th birth anniversary.

2. Sit and chat project - I'm using up leftover worsted weight on a 10 stitch afghan. It all garter stitch and you only have to pay attention on the mitered corners.

3. Traveling Sock - I always have a sock project going since it's easy to throw in the purse in case I get stuck somewhere. Current sock is a lace mock cable.

4. I really need mittens - I'm making some black mittens because I'm in big need of something warm for my hands that will look ok with my coat. These should be done in the next couple days so they're really just a blip on the project list.

5. Garter Stitch sweater - It's in a bit of a time out because I ripped a sweater I had started about 5-6 years ago when I couldn't find the pattern. I started a new top down sweater, designing as I went and didn't notice till too late that the rest of the yarn is packed away somewhere and I haven't had time to go searching.

6. Long term project - I'm making a sock yarn project that I keep saying will not be the Sock Yarn afghan.
Current plan is this will be a shawl but, who knows, when I get to the shawl size I may just keep going. It only gets pulled out when I have no urge to knit other things and I don't plan on it being completed for a very long time.

7. Knit Market Bag - I designed a crochet market bag a few years back and it became very popular. As a matter of fact it's number 42 most popular bag on Ravelry. That got my knitting friends asking for a knit version. I've got a knit version about half done and it's just sitting there waiting for me to finish and write it up. one day...

I've got a few projects that I've more or less "forgotten" and may pull them out some day and may not. I rarely rip because I eventually get back to them. A couple years ago I finished a Christmas sock that I started in the 1980s. I never give up on a project!  These get back to them some year projects include a Mystery shawl 3 I started 2-3 years ago; my mitered summer top; and a bunch of diagonal squares that may end up as an afghan some year.

For a knitter who usually has about 20-30 projects going to only have 10 projects is very unusual. I think I need to start something new - right now!